Reaching Excellence in Academic Leadership (REAL)
The goal of the Reaching Excellence in Academic Leadership (REAL) program at UNH was to provide professional development training for academic Chairs and Program Directors to increase awareness of, and capacity to build, a positive climate on campus. The REAL program was part of the social science research study required of all NSF funded ADVANCE initiatives and was offered from 2013-2016.
REAL was a three-part Leadership Development Program for chairs and directors, which included:
- Seminar I: An interactive theater based training workshop offered in the spring semester
- Booster Sessions: readings, discussions and exercises during the summer
- Seminar II: A second training workshop during the first week of the fall semester
The REAL Leadership Development Grant Program provided funds to support academic Chairs and Program Directors attendance additional leadership development programs.
Handouts and Brochures
- Improving Faculty Climate: UNH ADVANCE handout discussing organizational climate
- Enhancing Department Climate: A Guide for Department Chairs: Brochure from the Women in Science & Engineering Leadership institute at the University of Wisconsin - Madison
Professional Development Programs
The UNH Leadership Development Grant Program provides support for academic chairs and program directors to attend leadership development programs. Below is a list of academic leadership programs that may be helpful to you, but we also recognize there may be other programs specific to your professional field that might be even better suited to your needs. We encourage you to seek out additional leadership training opportunities.
- Advancing Academic Leaders - Run by UNH Engagement and Faculty Development
- UC Center for WorkLife Law: Tools for Change
- ACE (American Council on Education): Leadership Academy for Department Chairs
- AAL (Aspire, Achieve, Lead): Chairs & Academic Administrators Management Program
- Council for Independent Colleges: Workshops for department and division chairs
- Department Chair Institute: Website dedicated to addressing the needs of department chairs and first-level administrators
- Academic Impressions: Communication and Conflict Management for Department Chairs
Your professional organization may offer a specialized Chair and Program Director training that is more suited to your needs. Two examples are given below:
- American Geophysical Union: Heads and Chairs workshop information and registration
- American Physical Society: Links and information about bi-annual physics department chair conferences
Leadership Institutes
- HERS Institutes: Programs developed for women aiming to strengthen and expand leadership skills
- LEAD 21: Leadership development for faculty, directors, chairs, and other in land-grant universities’ colleges of agricultural, environmental, and human sciences and NIFA.
Grant Opportunities
- Find additional resources on our Grant Opportunities & Awards page.
